OCTOBER 2018 - SCOOT IN-FLIGHT MAGAZINE

CHULA
DESIGN HOUSE
More than most places in Asia,
Hanoi has long been
successful at marrying age-old
Vietnamese traditions with
European sensibilities.
Therefore, it is fitting that Chula
Design House, one of the city’s
most consistently exciting
boutiques, is overseen by a
Catalan couple with a strong
commitment to utilising local
textiles and techniques. While
a branch near the cathedral in
the heart of the Old Quarter is
handier for tourists, it is worth
making the trek out to Tay Ho
(West Lake) where the brand
was born in a beautiful
sprawling villa. It’s a beguiling
spot in which to browse the
collections of brightly coloured
jackets, skirts, dresses, and
gorgeous silk garments.
What’s in store: Vietnam
(Hanoi, specifically) feeds into
the design of Chula’s many
collections. Its Vietnam
Symbols line is particularly
strongly influenced by the
nation’s capital with frocks and
dresses inspired by the
wooden block printing found in
many places around the city.
chulafashion.com
RETAIL RAVES
PHOTOGRAPHY ●CHULA DESIGN HOUSE, AN STORE
POTTY ABOUT
POTTERY
To learn about Vietnam’s
pottery history, a visit to
Bat Trang Ceramic Village
(located in the southwest
of Hanoi) is a must. Here,
you can try your hand at
making handcrafted
ceramics, but a lot of
locals would recommend
purchasing one of their
ready-made exquisite
vases, bowls, and dishes
produced by the talented
Bat Trang potters instead.
battrangnews.vn
AN STORE
Conceptualised by designer
Nguyen Mai Phuong, Hanoi’s
increasingly prevalent hip
factor is exemplified by An
Store’s vintage boutique. Set
within a charming shophouse
in the Old Quarter, the store
sells an intriguing range of
items with an emphasis on
lifestyle and fashion.
Although the shop is popular
with a younger generation of
Vietnamese, traditional
tiled floors, dark woods,
and colonial-style bay
windows provide a link to the
past. Also tipping a nod to
Hanoi’s artisanal heritage are
items such as revamped rice
farmer pants. Chic leather bags,
meanwhile, give designer Italian
brands a run for their money.
What’s in store: Owner/designer
Phuong says that she is
influenced by both the simplicity
of Japanese design and her
Vietnamese heritage. Nowhere
does this fusion shine through
more than in her boho-chic
apparel and outerwear inspired
by traditional garb worn in the
countryside.
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